


Mission: Runaway!

by amamiya_toki



Series: Song of the Sun [4]
Category: IDOLiSH7 (Video Game)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe, Gen, POV Third Person, Sibling Jealousy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-15
Updated: 2018-04-15
Packaged: 2019-04-23 07:04:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,848
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14327154
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amamiya_toki/pseuds/amamiya_toki
Summary: Summary: After having an argument with his mother and getting punished for misbehaving, Tsunashi Sakuya tries to run away from home. Will his attempt be successful?Side Story to "Song of the Sun".





	Mission: Runaway!

**Author's Note:**

> I couldn't make it by 15th April exactly, but happy birthday, Sakuya!

Tsunashi Sakuya had enough.

It had been about a month since his family welcomed the birth of their third child, Shizuki. The infant became the centre of attention amongst the adults, especially with his mother Sougo who was regularly and readily attending to the infant's needs. That meant that he, as the eldest child, received lesser attention than he already had ever since the second child, Haruto, was born.

He was displeased by this but chose not to complain. He was afraid of getting scolded by his mother, who was frightening when angered.

However, this afternoon, he had reached his limit.

He had been playing in his room after lunch when Haruto came in and asked to play with him. He initially agreed, since he felt bad saying no. However, the toddler had ruined everything he had been doing, and because of that, he yelled at him. That made Haruto cry loudly and that caught their mother's attention.

Sougo had just fed Shizuki was about to put him to sleep in his crib when he heard the child's cry and rushed over while still carrying the infant. He could not put him down yet, as the little one would start fussing if he had been left in his crib alone before falling asleep.

When Haruto saw his mother, he ran up to him to be comforted. Naturally, since Sakuya was the only other person in the room, Sougo asked him what had happened.

"It's all Haru's fault!" Sakuya pouted, stamping his foot to emphasise his point. "He was being a bother when I was trying to do things! I hate that! I hate him!"

"Sakuya, don't say that. He's only trying to play with you. You're his big brother, you need to be more tolerant and patient with him."

"I don't wanna!" He stamped his feet again. "It's not fair! Why do I have to give way to him just because he's younger? I don't wanna be a big brother! I didn't ask to be the big one! Why did I have to be born first? It's just not fair! Why can't everyone just let me have my way for once?"

"Sakuya, listen…"

"Mom, you're the worst! You're always putting Shizu and Haru first! What about me? I'm not important to Mom anymore, right? That's why no one cares about me anymore!"

"Sakuya, that's about enough. You—"

"I don't wanna listen! Go away!"

The child grabbed the closest thing to him, a small toy car, and flung it towards his mother.

However, the trajectory was too low, and it would have hit the infant if their mother had not shielded him in time. But it did not stop at one round, as he was throwing whatever was within his reach.

This was the first time Sakuya had thrown a fit this bad. Usually, all he would do is to protest, and if anything the feet-stamping would be the worst. While Sougo felt like he could understand his feelings, he had no experience with this sort of situation as he was an only child and did not know how to handle this situation well. However, what his eldest was doing would put his other children in danger, so he had to put a stop to it.

"Sakuya!"

Sougo had begun to reprimand him, but his lecture was cut short when a wooden block hit h the side of his face. It may have been a child who had thrown it, but the force was probably hard

That was when Sakuya stopped throwing more toys. However, while he did seem to feel guilty for hitting his mother, he did not seem the least bit regretful about his words or actions.

"I'm... I'm not gonna apologise!"

"Is that so? Well, then don't. No one is going to force you to." Holding his youngest son tightly and beckoning the second to follow him, he stood up to leave the room. "You are going to stay here until dinner and reflect on what you did."

The door was shut, leaving the six-year-old alone in the room.

"Stupid Mom!" He huffed, folding his arms and sitting down on the bed. "I just knew that he doesn't care about me anymore!"

There was no longer a place for him in the house.

At least, that was what he thought to himself as he rolled on the bed.

All he wanted for someone to be nice to him, and give him some attention to make him feel that he was still someone important. But it seems like that was something he felt he could no longer get from anyone in this house.

So why not look for someone outside, instead?

At that moment, just as he thought of that, the face of one particular person came to mind. He was Kujou (soon to be Nanase) Sorata, his best friend and classmate from the same kindergarten.

Because their parents had known each other, they had known each other since the latter was just born. But to him, Sorata was more than just a friend. He was special because he liked him very, very, very much. So much so that Sakuya's dream was to make him his bride one day.

With that in mind, he knew what he had to do, and where he had to go.

He will run away from home, and go to Sorata's place!

After all, Sorata was an only child and was now living with both parents, having been raised in a single parent family until recently, so there was no one else who would be a hindrance or a bother. He could have Sorata all to himself, and Sorata would definitely be nice to him. And, best of all, he could play with Sorata all he wanted, just the two of them.

But first, he needed to prepare.

From his closet, he took out his favourite backpack. It was modelled in the image of Sunshine Red, the leader of his favourite television show, the Sky Rangers. He always brought it with him when he went on outings.

In the bag, he packed what he thought he would need.

The first was a picture book, one of the few that he had, to share with Sorata. After that was his favourite toys, which he chose carefully. His set of Sky Rangers action figurines was a definite, and that was accompanied with the pink rubber ball that he received from his grandmother recently. He also changed his clothes, as he knew that it was starting to get quite cold outside.

When he was done, he heaved the bag onto his back and was ready.

Opening the door of his room, he peeked outside. The hallway of the second floor was quiet, so he snuck out.

The door of Haruto's room was shut, but his parents' was not. If he had guessed right, his mother was inside, probably putting the infant in his crib if he had not. He was worried that he would be caught if he tried to go past the room, so he took a peek in.

Much to his surprise, it seemed that his mother was asleep, with Haruto curled up next to him.

It was rare for his mother to take naps, but now was not the time to think about it.

This was his chance to make a break for it!

As quietly as he could, he tiptoed down the stairs. Because he was being careful, he barely made a sound as he moved down, one step at a time. The landing of the stairs faced the front door, so all that was left was to put on his shoes, unlock the door and get out.

He chose his usual sneakers, the pair with the velcro straps, and put them on the way he had been taught to. After that, he unlocked the front door and opened it. It creaked a little, but he was careful to not let the sound grow too loud as it may wake his mother up. He also tried to close it as gently as he could, and when he did hopped over to the gate. The latch was a little high, but he was quite tall for a child his age he managed easily when he got on his tip-toes.

The moment he closed the gate, he grinned to himself.

His escape had been successful!

Now all he had to do was to reach Sorata's apartment building and everything will be fine and dandy.

He and Sorata have a playdate each week, on one day of the weekend. Most of the time, it would be at his house as it was bigger and he had more toys. Sorata always preferred books, so he did not have as much. However, there were times when he would go to Sorata's instead, so he knows the way.

Or so he thought.

At his age, he was always accompanied by an adult wherever he went. Even if it was for a simple activity such as a stroll around the neighbourhood, he was either with his parents or grandmother, sometimes his close friend's parent. That was why he often knew the many places that he had been brought to. What he did not know, however, was specifically how to go there.

He had chosen to the road on the right from his place, which he remembered led towards the general direction which led to the Nanase family's home. He walked by the side of the road as he had been taught to so that he would not be in the way of any vehicles that may be travelling through.

At the next corner, he knew that he had to turn right and turn at a few more corners and that would lead him straight to an area with tall buildings and many shops.

Or... was it left?

Sakuya looked around him.

There was nothing but houses and more houses around him.

That could not be right.

He was positive that he was heading the correct way. Yet, he did not seem to be close to where he wanted to go. He could see cars going past at the end of the lane, so he knew that it would lead him to the main street where he knew that he should not be going.

Should he turn back?

But he could not even remember which direction he had come from.

He was utterly and hopelessly lost, and this was very frustrating for him as he had been quite confident about being able to find his way.

What could he do now?

He did not know how to even get home, much less find the right way to his intended destination. Also, there was no other person other than him within sight so he could not ask anyone. However, he did not want to wait for his mother to realise that he had been missing and find him, either. If that happened, he would surely be reprimanded.

Either that or his mother would be so angry with him that he would not bother coming to look for him at all. After all, he was now unwanted, right?

"This is the worst..." He crouched down by a lamp post, sulking as he buried his head in his arms and knees.

He was grouchy, and getting lost has made him exhausted.

"Sakuya?"

It was then that he heard someone call out his name. And that person's voice was so familiar that he could not mistake it for anyone else's.

"Dad...?"

Looking up, he saw the face of his father, Ryuunosuke, who was squatting down in front of him.

"As I thought, it is you. Why are you here alone?"

"Dad..."

Seeing his father put his worried heart at ease, and he could not hold back the tears that started to flow from his eyes. He held his arms out to ask him to hold him, and his father scooped him into his arms so that he could comfort his son. His fists clung to the fabric of the man's shirt as he began to sob, just a little.

"There, there. You must have been scared, aren't you? Come, let's go home."

"No!" He protested. "I don't wanna go home!"

"Eh?"!

Ryuunosuke was surprised by his refusal, as he was usually not a rebellious child. However, he understood that his son would not do anything without reason, so he decided to adhere to his demand.

He patted this child's head gently as he made a suggestion. "Why don't we go to the park at the corner, then? I'll get you your favourite juice. Are you okay with Dad keeping you company?"

Sakuya nodded his response. "Just… don't tell Mom."

"Got it. I promise I won't tell Mom that you are with me or that we're going to the park."

They sealed that promise with their pinkies, and they made their way there. Sakuya was not one who liked to be carried, unlike his best friend, so he asked politely to be put down. Instead, he held his father's hand as they walked to the park.

They settled on a bench in the middle of the park, near the playground. Ryuunosuke got their drinks from the nearby vending machine—chilled grape juice for Sakuya and a hot cafe au lait for himself—and they took a sip before they started talking.

"Sakuya," he spoke in a soft, warm voice. "Can you tell me why you were out there all alone?"

"I... I..."

"Don't worry, I'm not scolding or reprimanding you. I just wanted to ask. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to tell me."

Sakuya shook his head, indicating that his hesitation was not related to not wanting to explain to his father about his circumstance. "I was just thinking that I'd go to Sorata-kun's place."

"By yourself?"

He nodded once. "I mean, Mom and everyone else doesn't want or need me around anymore... so I thought I'd go to Sorata-kun's place."

"And live there?"

"Something... like that..."

"Why did you think that you're not needed anymore?"

"Because Mom only cares about Shizu and Haru nowadays! He doesn't care about me anymore! He always tells me to wait, that I always have to be patient! I'm already trying my best already, but Mom does nothing but scolds me all the time! I can't stand it anymore!"

"I see..." Ryuu patted his son's hair. "So you were just jealous."

"Jealous? Is that... bad?"

"I think it's normal to feel jealous. Even I felt quite jealous when my brothers were born and your grandmother cared for them more than me."

"Dad too?"

"Yeah. So that's why I think that it's okay to be jealous. But, if it's only you feeling it. Jealousy becomes bad when you hurt someone because of it."

"Ah! I... I threw stuff at Mom earlier..."

"Did you apologise to him?"

"No... I mean, he already hates me, right? So even if I apologise that's not going to change."

"Sakuya, do you really believe that your mother could ever hate you?"

"I mean! If he doesn't, then why doesn't he care about me anymore, like the way he used to? Now that he has Shizu, he doesn't need me anymore, so he hates me!"

"Oh, Sakuya..." It hurt for anyone to hear a child believe that their parent, who loved them so dearly, could ever hate them.

But, how could he convince his son that he had been mistaken and make him understand that he was wrong?

"Sakuya, can Dad ask you something, then?"

"Hmm?" He did not seem to understand why his father had wanted to do so and gave him a confused look, but he did not turn him down.

"Do you remember when you and Sorata-kun first met Manami-chan, on the first day when you began attending class at the kindergarten?"

"Yes."

"You got jealous at that time too, right?"

"Yeah... Because Sorata-kun kept playing with Mana."

"Did you think that Sorata-kun had come to hate you that time, or felt that he no longer likes you?"

"Yeah..."

"But, was that really the case?"

"No, Sorata-kun said that he still likes me, so it's okay."

"And you still like Sorata-kun, right?"

"Yup! Lots!"

"Then, what if you met someone who you like as much as Sorata-kun?"

"That's not gonna happen!"

"Okay then, what if that person is someone whom you think of as a very, very good friend. But because you are close to them, Sorata-kun becomes jealous and thinks that you have come to hate him?"

"But I could never hate Sorata-kun!"

"But he doesn't know that, does he? How would you feel about this, if it happens?"

"If... If Sorata-kun hates me, I'd feel very, very hurt... because I like Sorata-kun so much."

"That is how your mother feels right now."

"Eh?"

"Think about it, Sakuya. Did you mother say, in his own words, that he hates you?"

"No, never..."

"Has your mother ever scolded or said bad things to you for no reason at all?"

"I don't think so..."

The child hung his head low. He understood what his father was implying, and realised that he had been mistaken. However, he was overcome by guilt, as he could not forgive himself for doing something terrible.

"Sakuya, can you tell me what Mom tells you every night when he tucks you in?"

Tears began to form in his eyes, but he tried to hold them back. "M-Mom says that... that he loves me."

"And, what about you? Do you love your mother, too?"

"Yes... I do..." He let out a choked sob. "Dad, I'm sorry, I..."

"There, there." Ryuu hugged his eldest son once more. "But I'm not the one I should be apologising to, right?"

"Yeah..." He rubbed his tear-stained cheeks with the sleeve of his sweater and sniffed hard to clear his nose.

"You won't know this, Sakuya, but you made us very, very happy even before you were born. Back then, we were much younger and did not know what to do, so it was much harder than the time your mother was pregnant with Haruto and Shizuki. But your mother's face was filled with so much more kindness and love whenever he touched his belly, where you were slowly growing inside of him."

"Really?"

"Really really."

"... Dad, can we go home now?"

"Of course."

They finished their drinks and deposited the cans into the recycling bin. Around this time, the sky was beginning to turn orange, as the sun was beginning to set.

Ryuunosuke allowed Sakuya to sit on his shoulders as they walked back to the house they called home. To be honest, it was rare that he was able to spend time with his son alone like this since there was always a younger child to take care of and he wanted to help his husband whenever he could. However, being able to have some father-son time felt like a good idea, perhaps because his mother used to make an effort to spend time alone with him in the past. He would definitely take him out this coming weekend since the family had no plans.

The two reached home before it got dark, and when they opened the door, Sougo was already there in the hallway waiting for them.

"We're back," Ryuunosuke announced with a warm smile on his face.

"W-We're back..." Sakuya echoed after his father but was too scared to look at his mother's face. "Mom, I—"

Before he could apologise, his mother hugged him tightly. "You silly child! You had me so worried when I found out that you had gone missing!"

"I'm sorry... Mom, I'm sorry! I was wrong! Please don't hate me!"

"What are you saying now?" Sougo sighed softly, ruffling his head of brown hair. "Come, let's get ready for dinner. You must be hungry since you ran off before it was time for your afternoon snack."

"I am! What's for dinner?"

"Your favourite: curry rice."

"Really?" His expression brightened up at the mention of his favourite food. "Even though it's not a Sunday today?"

"Today is a bit special. Go put your things down and wash your hands before going to the table."

"I will!"

Freed from his mother's embrace, Sakuya ran up the stairs to his room.

Now left alone with his husband, Ryuunosuke wrapped one arm around his waist, pulling him closer to him. He used his other hand to cup his cheek, his fingers gently brushing across the slight bruise on his face.

"What happened?"

"It was nothing much. Sakuya threw his toys at me earlier when he threw a tantrum and one hit me, that's all. Thank you for bringing him home safely."

"I know I should have returned your calls, but I promised Sakuya not to tell you. You must have been worried sick. I'm sorry."

"No, it's fine. I'm the one at fault for not knowing how to approach or talk to him before the situation got out of hand."

"I should have been the one to talk to him. I felt the same way when my half-brothers were born too, and I had to admit that my mom handled me pretty well. How are Haruto and Shizuki?"

"Haruto's in his room and Shizuki is sleeping. They're both well and good." Sougo paused to place a kiss on his husband's cheek. "Welcome back. Thank you for working hard again."

"Same to you. Thank you for looking after the children and doing all the housework as always." Ryuunosuke returned the kiss with a quick peck on the lips. "Shall we get ready for dinner, then? I'm feeling a bit hungry myself."

"Of course."

That night, the family had a hearty dinner. For the first time since his youngest brother was born, Sakuya was able to have a smile on his face when he was made to sit next to his brother at the table. He also apologised to the younger boy, patting his head the way his father did to him.

Finishing everything on his plate, he helped his mother to place his dishes in the sink. He rested for a little while before he had his bath with his father. After a bedtime story, it was time for him to rest for the night.

As both his parents tucked him into bed, he made sure to tell them his favourite words.

"I love you, Mom and Dad."

"We love you too, Sakuya. No matter what happens, you'll always be our precious son."

"Sweet dreams, Sakuya. We'll see you in the morning."

He fell asleep right after closing his eyes.

That night, he dreamt of travelling to a magical curry kingdom. However, in that dream, he was not alone. His family was with him, even baby Shizuki, and they were all smiling as they ate the delicious curry together at the same table.

To him, that was his image of a happy family, filled with love.

_Song of the Sun - Side story 2 "Mission: Runaway!"_

**\- end -**


End file.
